Price is Everything

Given that newspapers seem to think they can print stories in the summer that they wouldn’t carry at other times, the last week or so has seen a flurry of tales that are so newsworthy, they will surprise you. No less than 3 surveys have come out all saying that price is the most important thing in choosing a holiday. Who would have thought it!
How many times have we been told that? And it is a complete surprise to you all isn’t it? And to think I believed it was the colour of the brochure or the fact that some 1970’s long forgotten soap star was plugging it. The research is so helpful that I’ll not even name those firms that commissioned it.
But does that tell the whole truth?
Overall price is probably the key factor as it is with most things. But it often doesn’t apply if you want to go to Barbados and the cheapest price is a week in Bodrum. Barbados is where you have set your heart on and Bodrum won’t do. So in some cases, price is not the over-riding factor. If it were Goldtrail may not have gone bust because everybody would have booked holidays with them.
Some research from Arkenford and our parent company, Consumerdata shows that there are people who will have a holiday yet price is not an issue. They have identified a group called Struggling Reliables. They may struggle in terms of money but they have to have holidays. To this group they will borrow if they need to. But come what may, they want a regular holiday. There is another group called Go Now Thrill Seekers. These never decide what to do until the last minute. Money doesn’t dictate what to do. It’s the idea of let’s do something now. They are only limited by what holidays and destinations are available at that time. They are just as likely to go to the Caribbean in summer or Finland in winter. It’s whatever takes their fancy when they are bored with their everyday routine and want a break.
So don’t believe all you read about holiday intentions. Price is important to many, but there are lots of other things that some people view as being more important. Going abroad or staying at home, going somewhere new, what’s available now, quiet versus active, lazy versus busy. Because we are individuals not everyone follows the herd.